Researching Elite Identity (re)production in contemporary Nigeria: Lessons Learned and New Directions

Abstract

Distinction, Exclusivity and Whiteness reveals how elite class reproduction and identity formation in postcolonial Nigeria is a complex and multifaceted process involving the intersection between race and class. The book explained how the consumption of international schooling is more than where and how the elite Nigerian parents are choosing to educate their children. Rather, the book argues that these parents’ school choices are symbolic of intra-class struggle for distinction and exclusivity as well as dominance. More significantly, Distinction, Exclusivity and Whiteness is also symbolic of the asymmetrical power relationship between Africa and the West as well as the enduring legacy of colonialism as the British remain the main consecrators of elite identity in contemporary Nigeria. Drawing together the key themes and findings in the book, the chapter concludes by highlighting areas for future research.